BetterCables changes return policy...Why? (1 Viewer)

[RajeeK]

I was just looking over at the BetterCables site and noticed thay have changed their return policy from the wonderful 6 months to ONLY 30 days now. I understand that 30 days is the industry norm, but that is what set BetterCables aside from the industry. Anyone know why they changed this so? That is one main reason I purchased from them in the past, the return policy was so generous. Guess I'll go elsewere now.

 

[Mike Knapp]

Why would someone need 6 months to determine if they liked a product....any product?

6 months was overly generous in my opinion.

Mike

 

[RajeeK]

6 months was overly generous in my opinion.

A return policy that sets one company apart from another.....overly generous. I hardly think so. That's what customer service is all about, making your company better than the next guy. Some people do like to know that they have a 6 month audition period, I guess no more though.

 

[Chu Gai]

perhaps initially to build up business and spread the word by mouth, things have a way of returning to normal. not really all that unusual, like car manufacturers offering 5yr/60K powertrain warranties to see them go back to 3yr/36. in any event who knows what the internal forces really were that caused the change in policy? we can only speculate.

 

[Alf S]

They probably got tired of so many customers returning them after "auditioning" them for that whole time and realizing that the BC sounds no better than the inexpensive (or what they thought was inferior) ones the customer had in the first place.

just a thought...

Alfer

 

[Mike Knapp]

Lets end the speculation here. I just got off the phone with Brad (owner of Better Cables) about this a moment ago.
The simple answer is customer abuse.
People would send in cables for a refund that were 5 months old and had been chewed and pissed on by the family canine.
They would return cables for a refund because they were in some "rough financial times" and needed the money.
They would buy the cables, use them for 5 months and then send them back for an exchange because they moved their TV 3 feet further from the equipment rack and needed longer cables.
Do any of those things sound "right" to any of you? I surely hope not!
Shitty customers will ruin a good thing every time. Dont blame the manufacturer, blame those consumers that took unfair advantage of an honest business' policy that was trying to offer exemplry service to internet shoppers.
There it is.
Mike

 

[RajeeK]

The simple answer is customer abuse.

I think both of you have very good points.

 

[Mike Knapp]

If someone needs 5 months to determine if a product is better than the product they were using...well that smells of horseshit (piled high I might add) dont you think?

Mike

 

[Kevin Coleman]

I agree with Mike. I tried a component cable of theirs and I knew within a few days by doing comparsions (some blind some not) with my DIY cable that there was no difference that I could see.
I can't believe they were able to keep it up as long as they did. It is too bad a few bad apples have to ruin it for everybody. BTW I received excellent customer service from them when I returned my cable after a couple weeks trying it out.
Kevin C.

 

[Mike Knapp]

Interesting Kevin,

I had a set of cables exactly like the ones you described and I noticed an improvement using the Silver Serpents. To each their own I suppose.

Either way, Better Cables is a top notch company for both product and customer service.

Mike

 

[Brett DiMichele]

And I guess when SVS eventualy changes thier policies you

would agree with that also Mike?

I agree that a few idiotic customers can ruin it for everyone

but what sets companies like BetterCables and SVS apart from

the rest of the industry is that they have customer service.

Real customer service, without it they are just another name

in the crowd unless they offer a superior product (luckily

they both do that as well).

I guess it's just the demon of running a biz, eventuanly

every successful buisness (even if they are run by enthusists

rather than bean counters) will ultimately have to conform

to the normal rules due to A$$hole customers.

 

[KeithH]

Mike, thanks for doing the legwork here. You and Brad make excellent points. It is a shame that some bag eggs ruined it for the rest of us, but I am not surprised. I use BetterCables Premium speaker cables in both of my stereo systems and bought them both for price/performance ratio and the six-month return policy. The latter was nice while it lasted, though I have never had the desire to return my speaker cables.
At most, I would have considered exercising the six-month return policy had BetterCables come out with a better speaker cable than the Premium cable. In that case, I would have considered doing an exchange. That's not the same as returning five-month-old, pi$$ed-on cables for a refund. As a rule, I don't pi$$ on my speaker cables.
Has anyone tried pi$$ing on cables to see if it improves the sound?

 

[RajeeK]

Has anyone tried pi$$ing on cables to see if it improves the sound?

I would be willing to piss on some cables if you guys want to get together for a double blind study on this. I think I'm going to start a new thread about the benefits of urine on speaker cable.

 

[Mike Knapp]

When pissing on cables it would be advised to be sure all the equipment is turned off, and even better...unplugged.

MIke

 

[KeithH]

Mike, excellent point. I'll remember that.